Gli Innamorati di ArundhatiDedicated to a feral howl and bite that’s long overdue
by Your Ox
â€œâ€¦maybe what we need is a feral howl, or the transformative power and real precision of poetry.â€ â€” Arundhati Roy

You know about Arundhati, yes? How ’bout Commedia dell’arte figures? [Pause.] Homework (above and beyond Wikipedia, of course). [Pause.] You can check out what I think of school in the previous posting, if you will… and do review that NOTE which heads the piece while you’re at it.

The lovers of Arundhati’s thrust must pay some attention to me, ALL the innamorati. Immediately. For lamenting and moaning their state — acting in childlike and immature ways following obsolete paradigms of action — they are missing the connection they seek. And the union that their intended audience — distracted groundlings all, apathetic over the drama being enacted before their eyes — might experience… cannot be realized, as things stand.

Why is it that just about everything I want to say these days seems to beg for italics?

No matter, there’s too much of such analysis going on already, just as there is way too much inconsequential documentation dooming us. Seminars, conferences, lectures, books, articles, films, radio show appearances and so on… all living and breathing in and around obsolete models of action… which is to say… documentation in lieu of taking action which has a shot in hell at being effective on an ongoing basis. That can make a sufficient difference soon enough.

OCCUPY is, as Arundhati says, a good thing. But I’ve listened to her — over years — ask one and all to come up with a way in which to secure significant reins of power, so that those victimized can call the shots. OCCUPY, unquestionably, can — now that the “intermission” is over — use a new spotlight. With a feral howl and bite to it!

Well, here I am. The hot shot of adrenalin that OCCUPY and all the Innamorati di Arundhati need to serve their own declared purposes. Offering a fresh paradigm for action.

And because I know very well that italics won’t do the trick in writing or conversation, I ask you to cut the mustard with me in profane, poetic reality.

For, unlike the lovers of Plautus and Terrance, I am not in love with love. Rather I am focused on my prospective lover. I am not into fighting the good fight in the sense of embracing that frightful attitude which says results don’t matter (from the very outset of my action).

Keeping to the tradition of Commedia, the posture that the Lovers take on is that of strong pride. They point their toes while standing and puff up their chests. Overall, they lack contact with the ground and seem to float across the ground rather than take steps. Their hand movements and gestures are also very characteristic of the buoyant movements that their feet take on.

They are what we call in the theatre… stock figures. And such behavior reminds me of counterparts I encounter when watching millions of well-intentioned activist actors marching in circles with the obligatory placard prop, self-righteously voicing (totally understandable) disenchantment with the powers that be which totally rule them, (bootless) cries notwithstanding.

[Ah, use of parentheses, dots and quotation marks can certainly serve the same futile function as italics, yes?] Words, words, words.

I’d say that it’s time to get some moving advice from another player; lots to choose from (in the tradition of Commedia). Just be careful with Il Dottore and Pantalone, please.

We are the scriptwriters here, of course, but we must acknowledge that the play is about to end. The very good news is that we won’t need any money to stage a production which will take place in the streets.

Contact the author, Ric, at aptosnews@gmail.com. An immediate feral howl in lieu of the tired old fund raising scenario is recommended. The former will guarantee curtain calls, the lattercurtains.

See if you can spot me in the front row: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUz6Hov7j_c&feature=related I trust that such irrelevant sidetracking will not be off-putting; we must keep a sense of silliness alongside the lyrical as we tackle the ultra-serious challenges… which — in America, at least — are first… apathy, resignation, self-serving cynicism, ignorance, habit and atomization. Regarding the latter, you can see in the mass assembly of ‘91 an example of movement in solidarity. We need to do the same with our own singular music today, along lines which have to do with a bit more than entertainment and/or socializing exclusively. On more of a macroscopic level than has been seen to date in the U.S. Then radical ripples will flow merrily, ferally, worldwide.